Pope Francis Extremely Blunt On Mexican Government’s Mistreatment Of The Poor

“Each time we seek the path of privileges or benefits for a few, to the detriment of the good of all,” Francis said, “the life of society becomes a fertile soil for corruption, drug trade, exclusion of different cultures, violence and also human trafficking, kidnapping and death, bringing suffering and slowing down development.”

Pope Francis and President of Mexico

The Pope delivered his remarks at Mexico’s 17th-century National Palace. President Enrique Pena Nieto, the Cabinet, and an array of politicians attended early Saturday. The pontiff spoke of the need for “men and women who are upright, honest, and capable of working for the common good.”

Pope Francis had vowed a direct message to Mexico’s powerful elite and the church’s very ineffective presence there. While overwhelmingly a Roman Catholic country, Mexico has largely failed its people in making the nation an economically stable and safe place to live.

The first pope from the Americas addressed Mexico’s government in a way that many hoped he would. The impression there is that the Mexican government is impervious to demands and criticism.

President Pena Nieto did not react to the pope’s remarks. He opened the meeting with a generalized speech. The leader of Mexico for three years, Nieto has been implicated in a series of conflict-of-interest scandals, where he and his family and friends have benefitted.

Nieto then gave Francis a tour of the palace’s majestic murals by Diego Rivera. The paintings include depictions of colonial-era Catholic priests perpetrating violence against indigenous peoples.

Thousands of Mexicans gathered outside the palace in the massive Zocalo square. In spite of the seriousness of the message, a holiday-like atmosphere prevailed, as church bells rang out and music was everywhere.

Pope Francis gave a hard-hitting speech at Mexico City’s cathedral. The pontiff took cardinals and bishops to task for spending too much time with the wealthy and influential, and disregarding their indigenous, poor, and besieged.

“We don’t need princes but rather a community of the Lord’s witnesses,” he said. The clergy, he said, should not engage in shady deals with “today’s Pharaohs.

“I beg that you do not underestimate the moral and antisocial challenge which the drug trade represents for Mexican society as a whole, as well as for the church,” he added.

In his weeklong visit to Mexico, he intends to symbolically trace the path migrants take through the country attempting to reach the United States. He also plans to preside over Mass at Mexico’s border with Texas, with a sojourn by the fence dividing the U.S. and Mexico from each other.

Source: Catholic Church Affairs